- WEB DESK
- November 13, 2026
Dar to attend first R4+E3 foreign ministers’ meeting in Istanbul today
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul on Friday to participate in R4 and wider ministerial meetings focused on regional developments, with a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also scheduled during his visit, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
Dar was received on arrival by Turkish Foreign Ministry Director General Cihad Erginay, Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires Shaiq Ahmed and Consul General Khawaja Khurram Naeem. Officials from Pakistan’s embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul were also present.
According to the FO’s latest statement, Dar will participate in the wider ministerial meeting alongside the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.
He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from different countries during the visit.
The latest update follows the FO’s earlier announcement that Dar would first participate in a meeting of the R4: Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The earlier curtain-raiser had described the subsequent gathering as the first R4+E3 foreign ministers’ meeting, bringing the four regional countries together with Britain, France and Germany. The FO latest arrival statement also named Italy among participants in the wider session.
The meetings are expected to focus on major regional developments and possible coordinated diplomatic approaches to shared challenges, with peace and stability at the centre of discussions.
The FO has said Pakistan’s participation reflects its commitment to “constructive diplomacy, regional cooperation and the peaceful resolution of disputes”.
The talks come amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, with developments in the Strait of Hormuz and security in Saudi Arabia expected to feature prominently.
According to a Turkish foreign ministry source, the participating ministers are expected to discuss the Palestinian issue, developments in Yemen and the Strait of Hormuz, along with diplomatic efforts concerning the Russia-Ukraine war.
Britain’s FO has said its discussions in Istanbul would focus particularly on the Strait of Hormuz and the security situation in Saudi Arabia.
It said traffic through the strategic waterway remained sharply below pre-war levels and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband would push for a diplomatic solution restoring full navigational rights and freedom of movement.
The UK has also raised concerns over attacks on Saudi Arabia and pressure on other vital regional shipping routes, including Bab el-Mandeb and the Suez Canal.
Britain this week committed Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to assist in defending Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks in its airspace.
Regional security on agenda
Fidan, who is hosting the talks, is expected to emphasise greater regional responsibility for security and closer cooperation among countries in the region.
Ankara is also expected to argue against allowing separate conflicts to reinforce one another and expand into broader instability.
The Palestinian issue will also feature in the discussions, with Turkiye expected to raise Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence.
Security in the Black Sea is another expected focus as the Russia-Ukraine war increasingly affects commercial shipping.
Armed attacks on commercial vessels have increased in recent months, while NATO has announced additional aircraft, drones and radar systems to improve surveillance in the Black Sea.
The R4 grouping brings together Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt and has increasingly been used for consultations on regional security issues.
Earlier this month, the four countries issued a joint statement condemning Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirming their support for the kingdom’s security.
Dar’s planned meeting with Erdogan will add a bilateral component to the Istanbul visit, alongside his engagements with the participating foreign ministers.
